The Monastery of Paleokastritsa in Corfu: On a green hill above the beach of Paleokastritsa, on the north western side of Corfu, there is a large Monastery complex dedicated to Panagia (Virgin Mary) of Paleokastritsa. This monastery dominates the whole region and was founded in 1225, although the present building date back only to the 18th century.
The first buildings were probably parts of the fortification of an older castle.It was destroyed by the Genoese in 1403, rebuild in 1469 and destroyed again in 1537 by the Turks.It was build again and thus it is preserved until today with several additions and repairs,such as the northern entrance of 1722. Built on top of a remote hill, it gives gorgeous view of the island and the sea.
The name of the Monastery Paleokastritsa is derived from a local phrase “Paleokastritissa”. This phrase was applied to the temple of Virgin Mary in the 15th century when a historic document, written on the 7th of August 1497, was recovered that referenced the temple as a “Paleokastro”. The word translates into “old castle” indicating the existence of a previous fortress constructed on the grounds pre-dating the present structures.